Training Your Puppy to be a Diabetic Alert Dog

Training Your Puppy to be a Diabetic Alert Dog. My training manual is inworkbook format with links to online resources, training videos, recommendedproducts,how to use collect and use scent samples, forms to trackscent training,training checklists, and much more. 122 pages.

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Friday, February 1, 2013

The cost of that puppy you want to train as a service dog

AS YOU RESEARCH DIABETIC ALERT DOGS, it is helpful to have
an idea of costs involved in acquiring them in a variety of ways. One way to
get a DAD is to buy a puppy and train him yourself. What follows are estimates
but I hope they will help you make an informed decision about the best road for
you and your family.

I start with a Lab puppy because it is the breed I've
worked with most ... not because it is the only breed that can do the job. The
cost of a Labrador retriever puppy from a reputable breeder will be
between $1,200 and $1,500. This price will usually include the first set of
shots, de-worming, and sometimes micro-chipping. It will not include delivery.

The first year of a puppy’s life is very expensive. The
chart below is an estimate of costs for that first year, which vary
considerably depending on where you live. The estimate does not include the
cost of a fence for your puppy or emergency medical costs if your puppy gets
sick or is injured. The first chart does not include diabetic alert dog training.
You will find that estimate further down the page.

That $3,130 does not include service dog training. Here is an example of training costs associated with a family training a puppy to become a DAD. These are first-year costs only.

EXAMPLES OF UNIQUE FIRST-YEAR COSTS
FOR DAD PUPPIES

DAD
training manual

$325

Phone
consultations with DAD trainer – 1 per month x 12 months

$900

Three
2-day in-home visits from DAD trainer

$1,800

DAD
trainer travel expenses for three 2-day visits. These costs depend on
location. Airfare is the biggest variable in the list of travel expenses.

$2,400

Total
unique first year costs

$5,425

Estimated cost of year #1with

your DAD puppy:

$8,555

Please understand that training does not end after the
first year. You will continue training your DAD pup through his second birthday
and beyond. In future posts, I will address the kinds of training your puppy
needs (obedience, scent, public access) and some of your other questions,
including:

Do I have to have the help of a service dog trainer?

Can I train my family dog to be a DAD?

What other breeds can be DADs other than Labs?

Can my DAD be a rescue dog?

Do I really need health insurance for my dog?

I've never had a dog. How do I know if I can train one?

Can I hire a local obedience trainer to help me?

If I don't want to train my own puppy, what are my other
options?

For now, continue your research. Engage in conversation
with people who have DADs, train them, and breed them. Take your time. Make an
informed decision - the right one for your family.